GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota junior defenseman Derek Forbort has elected to forgo his final year of eligibility and has agreed to a three-year entry level contract with the National Hockey League’s Los Angeles Kings.

A first-round draft pick (15th overall) of the Kings in 2010, Forbort is a native of Duluth, Minn. He collected six goals and 39 assists in 115 career games at North Dakota and had a career plus/minus rating of +33. In 2012-13, he played in all 42 games and achieved career highs in points (17) and goals (4).

As a sophomore in 2011-12, Forbort recorded two goals and 11 assists in 35 games and earned WCHA Final Five All-Tournament Team and All-WCHA Academic Team honors.

In 2010-11, Forbort helped lead UND to a berth in the NCAA Frozen Four and was named the team’s rookie of the year after leading all WCHA rookie defensemen with a +21 rating. He also added 15 assists in his 38 games.

Forbort also represented the United States at the 2011 and 2012 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, helping the U.S. win the bronze medal in 2011.

Forbort is UND’s third player to sign an NHL contract since the conclusion of the 2012-13 season, joining seniors Danny Kristo (Montreal) and Andrew MacWilliam (Toronto).